The Gulu district health educator Celestine Ojok has urged those intending to marry to test for sickle cell, a non-communicable disease that is common in Gulu.
Mr Ojok was speaking yesterday during a press conference to in preparation for commemoration of world sickle cell day. The national event will take place in Gulu on June 19 under the theme “Sickle Cell, a Concern for All.”
The press conference was also addressed by Sharif Tusuubira, the Executive Director of Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation.
Mr Tusubira, himself a sickle cell sufferer, said the world sickle cell day event will take place at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu town. He said the day will be used to raise awareness about the disease, offer free sickle cell screening and testing and giving psycho social to support to sufferers through community sickle cell support network.
A 2015 report by the Ministry of Health indicates that 19% of people in Gulu district have sickle cell anemia which is the highest percentage of people living with the disease in Uganda compared with a national average of 13.5%.
The report indicates that between May 2014 – April 2015, the district registered a total of 2,135people living with the disease.
The most affected being children below the age of 5 numbering 1,067, for the age group of 5 years-59 year 1,052 people and 11 people were over the age of 60. According to the report, the sickle cell burden is equally distributed among all sexes.
The District Health Educator Gulu Ojok Celestine says the disease is common in malaria prone areas and as such it is not surprising that Gulu has registered the highest number in the country.
Ojok says the district has been sensitizing the community about the disease and that all children born at health facilities have to undergo sickle cell tests.
Although sickle cell can be cured through having a bone marrow transplant, Uganda currently lacks such a facility but according to Tusuubira Sharif, the Executive Director of Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation, the civil society is working with the government to have a transplant center in Uganda in the next five years.
Currently, the prevalence of sickle cell trait in Uganda ranges from 2.5% to 23.9%. with Mid-North ranging from 17-21%, East-Central 16.7%, Central 12.85%-14.60%, Mid-Eastern 16.5%, Mid-West11.5%, Southwestern 4.1%, Kampala 13.63%.
The national average being 13.5% of the total population. This means that out of every seven people, atleast one has sickle cell trait and out of every 150 people, atleast one has the disease.
